Choosing Right From The Different Types of Roofing Shingles

There are different types of roofing shingles used in building construction today. Architectural shingles come in two general categories – asphalt and wood. Once upon a time, wooden shingles were very popular. Not any longer. Their expensive nature has relegated wooden shingles to niche status with only a few ornate projects with large enough budgets being able to afford this luxury.
For other home owners and building contractors, asphalt shingles are the natural choice. Asphalt shingles are less expensive. They are also easily found in most hardware stores across the country. As a roofing material, asphalt shingles are hardy and can tolerate extremes of weather. Durability is high with typical longevity being 20 to 30 years.

Is Asphalt The Right Type of Roofing Shingles For You?

Asphalt shingles come in 3 types. Organic asphalt, laminated organic asphalt and fiberglass asphalt are the names given to them. There is little in common between the types of roofing shingles made of asphalt, with even manufacturers specializing in one kind or another. Roofers and roofing contractors often disagree on which of them is best suited for a particular construction project. The truth is that many factors govern your choice, including how you prepare your old roof for installation.
Especially when it comes to re-roofing a building, you must make sure that the old roof is completely removed – even when it appears to look perfectly ok. Unless you do this, you cannot say for sure whether or not the underlying roof sheathing is intact. You may suspect there is a problem with the sheat when you notice dampness on the ceiling beneath it, or fungus and mold and rot in different parts of the building. Inspecting the roof base after totally removing all the older shingles will instantly show you where any potential damage has occurred.

What Types of Roofing Shingles Will You Use For Replacement?

Once the damages in your roof sheathing are identified and have been repaired, you are ready for the re-roofing to begin. Any other accessories like vanes and pipes must be installed at this stage too. Once you’ve done it all, the difficult choice of picking the right types of roofing shingles begins in earnest. There are many choices of manufacturer to select from, as well as a wide range of design and color to match your project. Browse the various options available before making a buying decision.
Also be sure to not jump at the very first or most convenient deal but to shop around and request quotes from a few different manufacturers and retailers in addition to what you get from your roofing contractor. With the different types of roofing shingles varying widely in price and quality, this step could save you a lot of money.
Ask roofing manufacturers and sales reps questions about which types of roofing shingles they recommend for their customers and the reason why they choose one over another. Research the recommendations on the Internet by visiting various technical websites where everything is explained in detail. Look for issues such as how the different types of roofing shingles stand up to wind resistance or how well they perform at insulating the house. Such measures of performance are all relevant to your choice.

Buying The Right Types of Roofing Shingles

Building a new home or re-roofing an existing building can be a major venture. But you don’t have to get overwhelmed if you simply focus on carrying out some basic research and find the right roofing contractor to work with. The most difficult choice you will have to make is about the types of roofing shingles to order.
Deciding to order a well known national brand of manufacturer may short-circuit your research process, but you’ll pay a premium price for that privilege. In order to get comparable quality but at a more reasonable price, you’ll have to shop around for quotes from different manufacturers and then weed through the information in order to zero in on the ideal types of roofing shingles for your home.